A snake in cold water
by Alarnia
Summary: Drabbles about Snake during the Zombie boat arc in the manga. Each chapter may be connected or completely AU. contains One sided Grell/Snake.
1. Chapter 1

It started out very simple. Snake hardly new the complications of what he just fell prey to at the time.

He was at a ball, alongside his lord Ciel Phantomhive. Who, as usual, was being the regular wallflower. He'd sent Sebastian off on some sort of investigation. Snake had not been given much information about what they were looking into. Either way Snake had become somewhat used to having information hidden from him. He'd always been too afraid of loosing a person's friendship to push for details. Like when he'd stayed at Noah's Ark Circus.

As it were he was standing at the edge of the room, occasionally sending worried glances towards Ciel, who was gloomier than usual, when he spotted it. a glimmer of vibrant red amongst the crowd of dancers. A woman dressed elegantly in reds with her wild hair left free. Snake felt his heart skip a beat, and in that moment Snake knew she was beautiful, even if he'd ever really found anyone he'd found truly attractive. He felt himself blushing. It didn't bother him when he noticed she was a little tall for a woman, and her features were boyish.

He wanted to go closer, but he was meant to stay beside his lord, and either way as a footman he was not allowed to enter relationships. So he watched from a distance. The lady seemed to be looking for someone, and it seemed like she found them. Her face became so animated before she went running off where his eyes couldn't follow. Snake wished that gaze had been directed at him. Snake was fine with dreaming, He thought he'd probably never see this person ever again. But there was no shame in cherishing a memory right?

The party soon ended, Snake thought he could hear someone laughing, but he thought it must be his mind playing tricks on him. Sebastian returned and he was surprisingly disheveled. Snake wondered what happened, but not for long.

Thoughts of the Crimson lady often seeped into his daydreams. Almost as much as his ponderings about his friend's hiding location. It almost bordered on obsession. He knew it probably wasn't healthy. But then it's not like he was stalking anyone. What was the harm in wondering what her voice would sound like as he did the laundry, contemplating what sort of things she liked to do while he tended the garden... or what her skin felt like while he lay awake. It was times like this that it was very inconvenient to share a bedroom with two other people.

He hardly knew what to do with himself anymore. He'd never really had much of a problem with... this sort of thing even during puberty. He'd actually considered himself asexual until he saw his Mistress. Needless to say his life got a bit more complicated.

Then one day the young master boarded a boat to New York, and after frantically searching for a safe area, there his red beauty stood in all her.. _his_ glory.

It'd started with Sebastian and Snake following along loyally after their lord. Next thing Snake knew, he'd been left to his own defenses, and simply told to "clean up." Snake had decided to share his meal with the other snakes in the cargo hold when all the problems started.

Corpses. It was a fairly exhilarating thing, running for your life. But the image of a smiling Sebastian gleefully smashing half rotted bodies into messy pulp would probably be something stuck in his mind forever. Something unpleasant to tie to his happy memories of red lace.

Not that it mattered much when the object of his affection stood so boldly in front of him. Although it was quite a surprise, realizing that his lady was in fact a Gentleman, if a rather effeminate one. He was still attracted to him, if the butterflies in his stomach were any indication.

He stood frozen to his spot, thankful that everyone had stopped running. Seeing ... Grell Sutcliffe, what a lovely name, was a bit awkward considering all the naughty things he'd fantasized about. and as a result he couldn't look directly at him. his face was pink and he hoped nobody noticed. and it seemed whatever he'd done it worked, because Grell only had eyes for Sebastian.

Snake didn't pay attention to what they said exactly. He was overcome by how lonely he felt at that moment. As if he didn't even exist. He hated Sebastian, that Grell was so affectionate towards him and he didn't even want it. Snake was so jealous he thought he could kill him, if it weren't for the obvious fact that the butler's skill was far above his own.

Snake stood there his gaze downcast, hoping that this would somehow end soon.


	2. Chapter 2

But if one believes in alternate dimensions, one can consider another possibility. In another place, Sebastian was ordered to do some task, and left. So when they finally ran into Grell, something else (naturally) happened.

Grell whined when Ciel told him the Sebastian was elsewhere, but his attention eventually shifted to land on Snake, who wished this had not happened. Because he was still mortified, endless fantasized scenarios ran through his mind.

"My, my, is this a new face I see. Colored in such a pretty red?" Grell started walking closer.

Why- why did he have all of his snakes stay behind to keep the swarms at bay? All he had with him was Dan because he was to small to fend for himself. He could even get stepped on. Snake had been hoping that the image of a snake might make the man hesitate, like the many others who saw them.

But that wasn't the case here. Snake kept his face turned to the side, even as Grell's heels clicked on the Ship's tiled floor, each step bringing him closer until he was arms length away.

"now, don't be shy~ let me see your face~" Grell said, leaning over at an angle, trying to get a better look at Snake, who responded by turning his head away more.

Ciel at this point became bored with the charade and left quickly with Elizabeth. Ordering Snake to catch up later when he and Grell were finished. Which alarmed Snake to say the least, he wanted to shout 'don't abandon me!' But then, Grell, who had become a little frustrated, grabbed Snake by the chin and forced him to reveal his countenance.

"There~ that wasn't so hard, why would you want to hide such a handsomely red face like yours?" Grell's face was split by a toothy smile. Snake was becoming more nervous by the minute. Many things that he'd pictured about this person were turning out to be very, _very_wrong. Yet still Snake's love stayed unchanged. It almost grew actually, the seconds played by and Snake was amazed he was still here. Grell was actually _touching_ him. Even if it was for purely practical reasons. Snake felt dizzy, as Grell turned his head this way and that to get a better look.

"Oh, and you have scales. How exotic.~ Now what did that brat say your name was..? Snake, wasn't it?" Grell finally released Snake's chin, though not before running a finger along his jaw line, and stood in a fashion that was nearly a pose, "Well Snake-chan, I am the Shinigami Grell Sutcliffe _DESU_, it's a pleasure meeting you, even in such dreadful circumstances."

His manner was already flirtatious, but then he blew a kiss at Snake, who had yet to say a thing. He didn't think his voice would work anyway. Too overwhelmed to even know how to cope, His body was in shock, that's what. That was probably why Snake felt like he was going to fall over, why he was beginning to see little sparkles in his vision as he stared at Grell. Why he finally knocked out and would've fallen on his face if Grell hadn't caught his shoulder.

He didn't know what happened after that. The Narrator worried that the zombies would get him. But the Writer has different plans.

Darkness, but it felt warm, and Snake was so so happy about something. So happy he could die. The ever present image of his beloved kept him company in his mind, and he remembered his lovely lady- lovely Gentleman Grell, with questionable habits.

But he couldn't stay in that dark place for long. Whatever he was laying on, it felt hard. And someone was insistently shaking his shoulder, and repeatedly telling him to wake up in a rather whiny tone. Snake groaned slightly, disliking the disturbance of his dreams. But it went quiet suddenly, and Snake cracked his eyes open, Greeted with the sight of Grell, leaning towards him with his lips slightly puckered.

And then Snake was once again as useless as a tomato. Grell's eyes opened just in time before their lips met, he blinked before retreating slightly, happy about something.

"Oh~ look it worked! Sleeping beauty's true love kiss never fails~" Grell's Grin was firmly in place. "It even put that healthy glow back in your cheeks, Snake-chan!"

Snake sat up. Or he would have. Except he realized then that Grell was bent over him, sitting on his stomach. Immediately he told himself to calm down. And- _- _He was glad Grell wasn't sitting that low on him, otherwise he might have felt the slight bump that had just appeared.

"I have to wonder though, do you have a fever?" He placed his hand over Snakes brow, "No, you're actually cooler than I expected… maybe I should warm you up then?" Snake's blush increased dramatically, he tripped over his words when he tried to reply, "Oh what an interesting reaction, if you don't speak I'll just have to assume that you've been enchanted by this fair maiden's beauty~ hm?"

That didn't even begin to cover it, Snake thought. Grell seemed to be moving at a much faster pace then him though, and seemed to be getting bored with him. He got up off his lap and picked up a … Snake didn't know what it was. But it was clearly heavy and made of metal. Bits of gore were stuck in what looked like a bicycle chain, wrapped along one long part. Snake took that moment to notice the many bloody heaps that were scattered around him. People of every age, all of which had their heads missing. And Snake put two and two together. He swallowed nervously as he sat up finally.

"I've always believed its in bad taste to leave a person to wake up alone after a long night, but now that you're up I should go, I'm in the middle of a job you see." and after that Grell vanished through one door. And Snake was a little surprised that he was gone so quickly.

Then he scrambled to his feet. This could possibly be his only opportunity to ever be with Grell, and it was slipping through his fingers. He wanted to at the very least prolong it. Snake ran for the door opening it roughly. He almost slammed it in his urgency, and considering what he'd learned about the undead's dependency on hearing to find them, it seemed reckless to make to much noise.

"Wait!" But still he shouted after Grell who looked back with a slightly confused expression. Snake took a few steps closer before mumbling "It's safer this way.. Says Dan" to say even that much made his face pinked.

Grell merely shrugged "Do what you want," and he kept walking, at a relatively fast pace. He shook his hand, making the red coat sleeve to slip downward and reveal a watch, which Grell checked. Then suddenly he made an impatient sound and started running.

Panicked, Snake tried his best to keep up but Grell was going to fast for him and before long Snake lost him. He slowed his run till he stopped, then slouched against the wall. Breathing hard to try and catch his breath. What's worse is he was totally lost now. In the midst of a monster filled sinking ship.


End file.
